The present invention generally relates to moving and placing large and heavy objects and, more particular, is concerned with an improved apparatus for moving such objects bi-directionally to more precisely place them in a final position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,823, Griffin, assigned to G & L Corporation of Fort Wayne, IN also the assignee of the present invention, discloses a portable apparatus for moving heavy objects with precision. Such objects, for example, large transformers, machines and the like, may weight several hundred tons and can be extremely large and bulky. The objects must be moved carefully and with precision especially to place them where desired during installation. Lack of prior control over their movement can require time-consuming adjustments and may result in damage to both the objects being moved and their surroundings.
For the most part, the overall performance of the portable apparatus of the above-cited patent in moving such large and heavy objects has met and even surpassed expectations over the years. However, from time to time, with any apparatus and the patented apparatus is not exception, a need for improvement arises to solve a problem which was not anticipated in the original design in order to increase performance and productivity even further.
One problem associated with the patented portable apparatus is that it can be only move the large object in one direction. This problem is inherent in the construction of the apparatus. To explain, in order for the apparatus to move the object, pins in pairs are laterally aligned and longitudinally spaced and secured along a pair of load support rails The pins are engaged by lugs on an actuator-supporting shoe. After the lugs of the shoe are engaged about a pair of pins, an actuator in the form of a hydraulic cylinder interconnecting the actuator-supporting shoe and another shoe supporting the load on the rails is actuated to retract and pull the heavy load along the rails The load is advanced or moved in a stepwise fashion along the rails. At the conclusion of each step of movement, the hydraulic cylinder is actuated to extend, advancing the actuator-supporting shoe away from the stationary load and bringing the shoe lugs into hooked engagement about the next pair of pins.
The feature in the construction of the apparatus which limits movement of the load to one direction is the location of a reinforcing bar with each pin of the respective pairs thereof extending from one side of the pin. The location of the bar only allows the actuator-supporting shoe lugs to hook the pins from the sides of the pins opposite from the reinforcing bars. As a result, the hydraulic cylinder can only pull or move the load in one direction. Should the apparatus accidentally move the object past the point where it should be stopped, the apparatus is not adapted to readily change or reverse direction and move the object to the desired position. Instead, it is necessary to lift the object or load with a crane, turn the entire apparatus around, replace the load and then move it into position in the opposite direction. As can be appreciated, this is usually quite time-consuming.
Consequently, a need exists for an improvement which will overcome this problem and thereby further enhance the utility and productivity of the portable moving device.
The present invention provides an improved large and heavy object moving apparatus designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. In place of the single pin located at one end of each reinforcing bar in the prior design, a pair of pins are located at the respective opposite ends of each reinforcing bar in the improved design This "double" pin arrangement allows engagement of one or the other pin by the lugs on the actuator-supporting shoe by merely reversing, or rotating 180.degree. , the position of the shoe on the rails. In one position of the shoe with its lugs engaged with one of the pins in the pairs thereof, retraction of the hydraulic cylinder will produce movement of the load in a direction opposite from that produced in the reversed position of the shoe with its lugs engaged with the other of the pins in the pairs thereof. It can be readily appreciated that the time now required to correct for overshooting the desired position of the object is substantially shorter than before.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved portable apparatus for moving and precisely placing a large and heavy object. As in the original apparatus, the improved apparatus includes a pair of laterally spaced load support rails, a plurality of laterally aligned pairs of anchoring structures secured to and spaced longitudinally from one another along the rails, an actuator-supporting shoe movable along the support rails, a pair of elements attached to the shoe for releasable engaging one pair of the anchoring structures to hold the shoe in a stationary position, and an actuator extending between and connecting the shoe with the load movably support on the rails. The actuator is operable in a first mode for moving the load in one direction relative to the shoe when the elements are engaged with one pair of the anchoring structures and in a second mode for moving the shoe relative to the stationary load to disengage the elements from the one pair of anchoring structures and reset the elements in engagement with a next pair of the anchoring structures in preparation for the next movement of the load.
The improvements of the present invention incorporated by the apparatus relate to the constructions of the anchoring structures and the actuator-supporting shoe. Each of the anchoring structures in the plurality of pairs thereof is in the form of a reinforcing member attached to each of the rails and a pair of anchoring pins located at respective opposite ends of the reinforcing members and secured thereto The actuator-supporting shoe is configured for placement in a first orientation on the rails wherein elements on the shoe are aligned to releasably engage one of the pins or alternatively in a second orientation wherein the elements on the shoe are aligned to releasably engage the opposite other of the pins such that operation of the actuator in its first mode will produce movement of the load in one direction when the shoe is placed in its first orientation and in an opposite direction when the shoe is placed in its second orientation. The second orientation of the shoe is 180.degree. reversed from its first orientation.
Further, the anchoring pins in each pair thereof are aligned in a generally horizontal plane. The reinforcing member is an elongated bar extending in the horizontal plane between the pins. The pins are also received and attached in holes formed in the respective rails.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.